DEVELOPMENT OF A FRUIT WASHING MACHINE

Abstract

A fruit washing machine was designed and fabricated taking into consideration the techno-economic
status of the micro, small and medium scale fruit farmers who are the intended users of the machine.
Considerations also included high washing capacity and efficiency and the desire to make the
construction materials of stainless steel to ensure the quality of the washed product. Other consideration
was a strong main frame as support to ensure structural stability of the machine. The machine was
designed for ergonomic value, safety and ease of operation and maintenance by incorporating guards
around the moving parts and components. Rollers were also incorporated in the design to ensure easy
movement of the machine. The machine was tested using 50 samples of orange for the washing operation.
During the testing, the belt conveying mechanism was such that the fruits were conveyed under high jet
spray pressure in order to get rid of the attached foreign materials. The test result showed that the washing
capacity was 0.0163 tonnes/h or 16.3 kg/h and washing efficiency was 62.5 %. Powered by a 1 hp single
phase gear electric motor, the machine has a production cost of USD 300 while all the construction
materials were available locally.